The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1887-03-10

given her pause. She loved him so truly
she could not bear that he should think
of her, even for moment, as she thought
of Harry Vance; better that they should
part, at once and forever. This was
what she had told herself, again and
again, every hour of that long day and
night.
eff she was sure. quite sure, " she told
herself, "that her willingness to accept
him had not been caused, in part, at
least, and almost unconsciouslY to herself,
by her intense hatred of the drudgery Of
teaching, she would not give thought
to what other, might think, or say, bit
she must be sure, quite sure, herself,
then" but the day had been so weary
ing, she was so tired, she must have time
to think it all out. But time she was
destined not to have. for scarcely had
the echoes of tn shout of the last eman-
cipated urchin died away in the distance
when Mr.. Carlton came up to the un-
painted pine desk, where the young
teacher sat with her head bowed upon
her hand.
Her face was so pale, and she did not
look up and smile as she was wont to do;
her whole attitude was so suggestive OF
WEAKNESS, if not of dispair, she was such
wee morsel of humanity, and he was 80
strong and manly, that somehow, before
he we'll knew what he was saying, he was
telling her his passionate longing to take
her into his arms and shield her hence
forth from every discomfort.
She looked up then, with something
of the look the hunter sometimes sees in
the eyes of a wounded doe, looked up,
and crushed the hope out of his heart
with cold refusal
Then came, for her, the slow agony OF
living on, day after day, knowing that
she had in that one hour of weakness cast
aside all that made life worth living; of
walking daily through the furnace of
trial, with the ghost of her dead hopes
ever reproachlng her with the cowardice
that put an end to their bright, but brief
existence.
So two years drifted by, and along
the thorny pathway that she trod Ellice
Gray learned priceless lessons of self.re-
lance and courage; learned to be law
unto lersclf, and, once having chosen q
pathway, knowing it to be right, grew
strong to follow it steadfastly to the
end, though thousand tongues might
censure.
Within q month after his rejection
Roy left his affairs in the hands of his
steward, to whom he gave power of at
torney, and went away to the city. A
year passed, and the dishone,t steward,
turning everything except the Carlton
homestead into money, gathered his
booty and fed; and no one knew Roy's
address.
Ellice Gray knew nothing of this.
When vacation came she had given up
her school, for she could not stay where
everything reminded her of Roy. She
was teaching in a distant village, when
one morning the postman brought her a
letter which proved to be from former
pupil in Shafton, Roy's home. 1t told
of the loss Of his property. stated that he
had of late returned to his home; that
while in the city he had joined volun-
tc6r cosps OF tiremen, and jwhilc in the
discharge of his duty had been stru k
on the side of his head by a falling tim
Der, and carried away insenSible. "When
he revived" the letter went on to say,
she was blind. The physician talked Of
paralysis OF the optic nerve, thought
time, or electric treatment, when he had
..mewhat recovered from the shock,
might be beneficial, but" said the letter,
"Mr. Carlton does not get better, he
seems to have lost all interest in life"
Then the writer went on to give the
other news of the village, but Ellice did
not read it. Hastily she prepared for
Journey, aad when the next train left
the station, it bore her in the direction
of Shafton.
The rosy bushes chased each other
over her otherwise pale checks whenever
she thought of her errand, bnt she did
not falter, even when she rang the bell
at the ''Squire's," and was ushered, by
the prim housekeeper into the empty
parlor. Her heart beat tumultously as
she heard the slow. uncertain step come
down the stairs, and the hand grope for
the knob of the door. He came in and
closed the door, and then stood moving
his head from side to side, as if looking
for som. one.
~ beg pardom," he said at last, for
Ellice did not speak, "but does any one
wait to see me! I am blind
eyes, Roy" Ellice answered in
choked voice, putting out her hand to
lead him to seat. 1t was the first time
she had ever called him by hs given
name, and she saw the light flash over
his fa~e.
"Ellice, OH, my darling" he ex-
claimed, then he stammered, "forgive
me, Miss Gray, that I forgot for mo.
ment. 1t was very kind of you to come" ."
II fear you will think the motive self
ish, when 1 have given you my reasons
for coming" she replied, struggling
bravely for composure us she sat down
near him. Then, 1.-THE train leaves in
two hours, and I must return, so you
will pardon .me if am somewhat abrupt
in naming my erranda"
"Certainly," he replied, courteously.
"Well," said his visitor, somewhat
weakly, striving to gain time, now that
the decisive moment had come, "the
fact is, 1 am thinking of getting mar
ried."
'tEllice," he said, brokenly, ''it was